Spice, Simplicity & a Splash of Grenache

This rich, lightly spiced tagine is just the thing for March—warming but not heavy, and packed with flavour.

The smoky, spiced Merguez sausages (or a good-quality spicy pork alternative) bring out the bright red fruit and subtle spice in the Grenache, while the chickpeas add a lovely bit of texture. The best part? The ingredients won’t break the bank, and it’s one-pot cooking at its finest—bold flavours, minimal effort, and barely any washing up.

Even better, get 10% off this month with code WILLGREN at the checkout. A perfect match in every way.

Merguez Sausage & Chickpea Tagine (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

6 Merguez sausages (or good-quality spicy pork sausages)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tin (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes
200ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp tomato purée
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Black pepper, to taste
½ lemon, juice only
Small handful fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

To serve:

Couscous or crusty bread
Greek yoghurt (optional, for a cooling contrast)

Method:

Brown the sausages:
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or casserole dish over medium heat.
- Fry the sausages for 4–5 minutes, turning until browned all over. Remove and set aside.

Sauté the onions and spices:
- In the same pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.

Build the sauce:
- Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, harissa, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
- Bring to a simmer.

Simmer and finish:
- Return the sausages to the pan, nestling them into the sauce.
- Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze in the lemon juice, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.

Serve:
- Scatter with fresh coriander or parsley.
- Serve with fluffy couscous or crusty bread, and a spoonful of Greek yoghurt if you like a cooling contrast.